1940s weekend
gives £1 million
boost to town

Brighouse’s first 1940s weekend is estimated to have put around £1 million into the local economy.

There were 100,000 visits to Brighouse town centre over the four-day festival - the majority of them on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June - and the average amount spent by each visitor was £12.50.

Stephen Lord of Brighouse Business Initiative, which organised the event, said: “The figures have exceeded all our expectations.

“The town was buzzing and almost two weeks later people are still talking about. The feedback has been incredibily positive.”

Mr Lord praised the town’s traders who had entered the spirit of the event and decorated their premises and dressed up for the occasion.

“The 1940s weekend started out as an idea on the back of an envelope and just grew. The economic and social benefits to the town have been tremendous.

“One example is that sales of our Brighouse shopping bags have just rocketed - it’s as if everyone is proud to say they are from Brighouse. Of the 1,000 comments on our Facebook site, every one of them is positive.”

Next year the 1940s weekend will be held on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8.

“We have decided to stick at the first Saturday in June every year.

“People have already expressed an interest in taking part and it looks like it’s going to be a successful annual event,” he said.

Trending

14-year-old boy had sex with young girl

REVEALED: These are the WORST GP surgeries in Halifax- as rated by you